African American Art and Culture Complex Spring 2013

About Me

Greetings everybody, my name is Shari Almario and I am currently a third year Business Administration student at the University of San Francisco. Coming from Los Angeles, I have gained a whole new perspective and I only want to continue enriching myself in the culture, as well as the diverse community San Francisco has to offer. This spring I am blessed to be the event planning intern for the African American Arts and Culture Complex. My duties entail assisting all of the staff members with coordinating any of the anticipated events for the organization. The blog’s purpose is to be a voice and a visual for the community to showcase what the African American Arts and Culture Complex has to offer.

Mission & Vision

The African American Art and Culture Complex (AAACC) is a community based, 501(c)3 arts and cultural organization. Our mission is to empower our community through Afro-centric artistic and cultural expression, mediums, education and programming.

We are dedicated to inspiring children and youth to serve as agents of change, cultivating their leadership skills and fostering a commitment to community service and activism. In addition, we encourage, support and promote the work of young, aspiring Bay Area artists. We also strive to develop partnerships with organizations that are similarly committed to our mission, and offer our space to the community for special events.

History

The AAACC has enjoyed a long and storied history in San Francisco.

In July 1989, Supervisor Willie B. Kennedy forwarded a resolution to the Board of Supervisors that urged the Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco to consider the sale or long-term lease of the Western Addition Cultural Center to better reflect the needs of the community in terms of programming, management and operations. The resolution passed unanimously.

Ms. Geraldine Johnson helped shape the preliminary draft legislation and efforts began in earnest to forge a new entity – a cultural center that would serve the community for generations to come. The community turned to the leadership of the Wajumbe Cultural Institution, Inc., and the San Francisco African American Historical Society – two of the oldest African American cultural organizations in San Francisco. A new non-profit corporation was formed in 1989 – the Center for African and African American Art and Culture. Since then, the name of the center has changed, but our mission and values remain the same: to provide a space in San Francisco and beyond for cross-cultural understanding through the celebration of African and African American experiences and history.

Today, the African American Arts & Culture Complex is a vital resource in San Francisco, adding to the city’s rich culture and diversity. We serve not only San Francisco’s African American community, but also the entire San Francisco Bay Area, as well as tourists.

We are dedicated to community change by fostering a commitment to service and activism through Afro-centric artistic and cultural performance, exhibition and programming. Our 34,000 sq. ft. facility houses an art gallery and three art exhibitions spaces, a 203 seat theater, a recording studio, library and archives of African American history, two dance studios and other multi-purpose space.

We offer visual and performing arts programs and classes including music, dance, theatre, audio recording, and arts and crafts. We also offer affordable performing arts venues for a host of community events, meetings, performances, art exhibits, trainings and conferences.

Our space also serves as a home to some of the most respected performing arts organizations in the Bay Area, including AfroSolo Theatre Company, the African American Shakespeare Company and Cultural Odyssey. Other resident art organizations include the San Francisco African American Historical and Cultural Society, the San Francisco Juneteenth Festival, Take Wings Foundation, Robert Henry Johnson and SF Noir.

Supported primarily by the San Francisco Arts Commission, the AAACC’s success also depends on the support and participation of the general public. Visit our Support Us page to find out ways you can help.

Visit Us

AAACC Website: http://aaacc.org/

AAACC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/African-American-Art-Culture-Complex/145365379417

3.1.13

Greetings,

Yesterday night, February 28, 2013, was the grand exhibition opening reception titled “The Black Woman is God”. The neat aspect about being a part of the event planning process is doing all the behind the scenes work and then seeing the transformation of the finished product. For the past 2 weeks, I have been working close with the Visual Arts Coordinator, Melorra Green. For this gallery, I was told to produce labels and price lists according to names of artists, the measurements of the art piece, and the materials they used to create their work of art. So, I was just doing the logistics of this gallery. But, once I saw the finished product of the gallery with all of the different variations of art, it was as if the names of the artists, the measurements, and the materials came to life. This gallery is very profound with depth and meaning. However, my words can not do this gallery justice. This should be an experience. With that said, please come by and see it for yourself! The gallery will be open until March 30, 2013, every Tuesday through Saturday between the hours of 12pm-5pm.

In solidarity,

Shari Almario

3.28.13

Greetings,

A couple weeks ago a new exhibition opened in the Hall of Culture in theAAACC called The Elders Project. The Elder Project features art from Marie Johnson Calloway and Armand Wright, as well as a video projection that showcases interviews from selected seniors included with a short film called Nobody Else created by Taura Musgrove. This exhibition is lively and opens up your eyes to the African American life and culture with two dimensional sculptures to black and white photographs.When it comes to our elders we show them a sign of respect. They are the legacy of the past and hold wisdom from experience throughout their life. It is where we reflect on our past to improve the present in hopes of creating a better future. Come and celebrate this tribute to African Americans ages 90 to 104 years old until May 31, 2013.

In solidarity,

Shari Almario

3.29.13

Greetings,

Ever since the previous Executive Director, London Breed, it was hard for the AAACC to find someone to fill her place in this organization until we found one that fit. Last Friday, March 22,2013 was the Welcome Reception for the new Executive Director, Kimberly Hayes. Some fun facts about Hayes is that she resides from New York City and worked seven years for Viacom’s MTV Networks as the senior sales executive. In addition, Hayes is proud to say that she has a passion for public service. She has been to Haiti with the former President Jimmy Carter and Habitat for Humanity International in order to rebuild Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Moreover, she has an appeal to politics. Her credentials start with her undergraduate degree in Political Science from at Hampton University, followed by completing her master’s program with her degree in Public Administration and a certification in Public Management at Fairleigh Dickinson University. The celebration for her was entitled for Hayes to meet the active members and for them to welcome her into our community. The festivity was a success and everyone is looking forward to what she has in store for us!

In solidarity,

Shari Almario